Alan Shearer and Michael Owen have become embroiled in a Twitter spat following the release of the ex-Liverpool strikers new autobiography.
In his book, Reboot, Owen claimed that he and Shearer had been "good mates" before a bitter feud at Newcastle ended their relationship.
Shearer was Newcastle manager for eight games during Owen's ill-fated time at the club.
Owen suggested that Shearer blamed him for Newcastle's relegation that season and criticised him behind his back after the club went down.
But Shearer responded on Twitter in brutal fashion.
The Match of the Day pundit posted a video of Owen saying: "So all I did for six, seven years... I hated it, I couldn't wait to retire."
Alongside the video Shearer added the caption: "Yes Michael, we thought that also, whilst on £120k a week..."
But Owen immediately hit back at his former England captain, questioning Shearer's commitment to his boyhood club.
"Not sure you are as loyal to Newcastle as you make out mate," Owen said. "I distinctly remember you being inches away from signing for Liverpool after Sir Bobby Robson put you on the bench. You tried everything to get out."
Shearer's MOTD colleague Gary Lineker had retweeted Shearer's response and said: "Awkward".
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Owen replied: "Are you surprised he’s manipulated a tiny part of an honest answer to aim a cheap dig at me? Most ex players I’ve spoken to aren’t."
Owen admitted in his book that he had reservations about joining Newcastle ahead of his move from Real Madrid in 2005.
The former England strikers time at the club was dogged by injury, and he felt he was unfit for the club's final game of the 2009 season.
But in his book he claimed Shearer insinuated Owen had half an eye on his next contract.
Speaking of his feud with Shearer, he said: "He was brought in at St. James’ Park as the saviour, the local boy. It could have been a great story. But he failed. Newcastle United were relegated. Perhaps rather than examine his own shortcomings, it felt easier to blame Michael Owen.
"I was a week away from fitness for the final game of the season that saw Newcastle needing a point at Aston Villa to avoid relegation.
"I told him that I wasn’t fully fit but was prepared to play. As I left his office that day, he made an insinuation that led me to believe he thought I had half an eye on my next contract. I’m not stupid – we both knew I was out of contract in a few weeks.
"It wasn’t until three months later, I discovered that Alan Shearer was apparently seething with me. Not only that, it transpired that he was telling anyone who’d listen what he thought of me."
In the honest revelations, Owen also admitted his relationship with the Newcastle fans was irreparable after they cheered him being taken off on a stretcher with concussion.
Owen said: "I can’t deny their actions that day changed things for me. No longer was I even going to attempt to ingratiate myself with the fans. Instead, I flipped it in a slightly more resentful way thinking, I don’t need to justify myself to f ****** Newcastle fans."